New Delhi: Terming as 'very serious' reports alleging that ISRO benefited a private firm through allocation of scarce S-band spectrum without a bidding process, Left parties today demanded a thorough probe into the 'new scam'.
"This is a new issue. The ISRO is under the Department of Space which is under Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh). This is also a new scam," CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.
CPI National Secretary D. Raja said the new revelations were 'very serious', a view echoed by senior RSP leader Abani Roy who demanded a JPC into the matter.
A newspaper report claimed CAG is investigating the allotment of 70 MHz from the available 2500 MHz of S-band spectrum to Devas multimedia for 20 years. The company is owned by M.G. Chandrasekhar, former Scientific Secretary at ISRO.
The report quoted the preliminary CAG estimates that the spectrum allocation could have caused the exchequer a loss in excess of Rs two lakh crore.
"The revelations have added a new dimension to the 2G spectrum scam. The ISRO is directly under the control of Department of Space headed by the Prime Minister. It is very serious as ISRO deals with space and it has implications on our security," Raja said.
He said the issue will be discussed among the four Left parties. Roy said the Left will 'definitely' demand inclusion of the 'new scam' in the ambit of JPC.
"Whether it should be a separate JPC or it should be incorporated in the 2G spectrum issue has to be studied," he said.
BJP on the attack
Taking note of reports that CAG is investigating the loss of nearly Rs 2 lakh crore in the allotment of scarce S-band spectrum, BJP today asked Prime Minister to clear the air, initiate an inquiry and take steps to recover the lost revenue.
"This whole affair is vitiated by fraud. And as a result, this country is facing not only loss of revenue but frittering away of valuable national asset which is a rare spectrum," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.
"We also demand a comprehensive inquiry to establish the criminality in the whole matter. We also demand recovery of the lost revenue," Sitharaman said.